By the grace of God, I have been able to attend Worcester Academy for my three years of high school education; one difference between my peers and me, though, is that they roll through the campus with their Teslas and BMWs while my mother drops me off in her 2005 Toyota Rav4. Ironically, I am one of a few Worcester Academy scholars who lives in Worcester and is provided with a scholarship to attend the institution. Over three years, my commute from Lincoln Village to Worcester Academy exemplifies the power of finances in the lives of wealthy and working-class individuals. My mother works two jobs in an attempt to provide for my two sisters and me, but when I compare her efforts to those of my peers’ parents, they appear to toil less but reap significantly more substantial rewards for their efforts. The most valuable piece of information that I acquired at school was not found in a textbook, but rather from a friend. Bill, a companion of mine who is originally from Vietnam and studies abroad in America; when I asked him how his parents work so little yet had the money to send him across the world for a high school education, he said that his family doesn’t work for money, their money works for them. Before this discovery, I had accepted a job as a sales associate at Kohl's with the idea from my mother that the only way to make money is to spend as many hours as possible working. I planned to accumulate hours and work with nothing in mind other than receiving my paycheck each week's end. Shortly after my exchange with Bill, I sought out business-oriented individuals to converse with as I grew hungry for knowledge that could improve my family’s lives and those of future generations. Soon after, I met with a Harvard underclassman, the son of my mother’s friend. He was considerate enough to spend two and a half hours acquainting me with what he knew about gaining financial independence, and the plausible steps he takes while working towards that goal himself. Toward the end of our conversation, he introduced me to stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and several other aspects of the expansive trading world. At the time, I couldn’t imagine that such efficient methods for gaining capital were not taught in schools or more widely known. I took it upon myself to learn how the stock market worked, and how I could partake in the benefits of trading while I am still young. Aside from my 10% tithe and savings, I have been strategically growing my capital with a series of mutual funds and stocks, and I have seen a $70 increase in my portfolio in the last month. Although this may not seem like much, I believe that the principles I have learned from my connections and resources will allow me to lead my family into the promised land of financial freedom very soon. I plan to use the discipline of saving and investing to graduate from college debt-free, become the first homeowner in my family, and show the world that I am not a product of my environment. Rather, I am a product of my principles.